Torsionally elastic lubricated coupling having thrust capacity



Eune 7, 1960 c. J. LUCIA 2,939,300

TORSIONALLY ELASTIC LUBRICATED COUPLING HAVING THRUST CAPACITY Original Filed July 31. 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR! CARROLL J Luc/A ATTORNEYS.

June 7, 1960 c. J. LUCIA 2,939,30G

TORSIONALLY ELASTIC LUBRICATED COUPLING HAVING THRUST CAPACITY Original Filed July 31. 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CARROLL J. LUCIA June 7, 1960 C. J. LUCIA TORSIONALLY ELASTIC LUBRICATED COUPLING HAVING THRUST CAPACITY Original Filed July 31. 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. CARROLL J. LUCIA ATTORNEYS Unite TORSIONALLY ELASTIC LUBRICATED COU- PLING HAVING TI-IRUST CAPACITY Carroll J. Lucia, Pontiac, Mich., assignor to Studebaker- Packard Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Original application July 31, 1953, Ser. No. 371,664,

now Patent No. 2,854,265, dated Sept. 30, 1958. Divided and this application May 14, 1956, Ser. No. 534,512

11 Claims. (Cl. 6'4-.l1)

The present application relates to a torsionally; elastic coupling useful for instance, in engine-powered line drive shafting, especially slightly misaligned marine propeller shafting and the like, and having provision for internal lubrication in the coupling and a substantial capacity to transmit thrust so as to facilitate the transmission of posi tive and negative propeller thrusts along the general line of the shafting into relatively remote thrust bearings or into the engine.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 371,664, filed July .31, 1953, now Patent No. 2,854,265, for Lubricated Coupling.

An object in connection with the improved coupling herein disclosed, is to provide a set of dually functioning engine-powered propeller-driving ball and socket structures having interposed elastic torsion transmitting members at their periphery and enabling the same to transmit torque elastically without necessarily conducting the engine crankshaft pulsations and yet solidly at the same time transmit the propeller thrusts thercthrough back in the direction of the engine.

Another objective in line with the accomplishment of the preceding object, is the provision of lubricant passages internally of the ball and socket structures and the further provision of lubricant confining seals for discriminately lubricating areas of the metallic innerfaces between the ball and socket structures with a view of not only contemporaneously transmitting thrust thercthrough on freely slidable surfaces, but also to permit torsional flexibility and oscillations to occur freely due to engine impulses and to accommodate as well, some slight shaft misalignment N 2,939,300 Patented June 7, 19 0 at a relatively extended radius, so as to provide circumferentially long bearing surfaces presenting relatively large bearing areas capable of withstanding substantial thrust.

A further object in connection with the spheriform structure and bearing member structure just noted, is the provision of pin-carrying lateral fingers or lugs aflixed on and extending a substantial radial distance with respect to one of the structures and the provision of spaced apart elastic core means on the other which straddle the lugs and mutually receive the pins so as to divide the torque load equally therebetween; additionally, the elastic core means are at a common radius with respect to the pins carried by the lugs and radially deflect through equal angles; as presently contemplated, open centered rubber annuluses form the core means and they are disposed in two spaced apart rings transverse to the longitudinal axes of the structures with the plane of each annulus being in the plane of its own ring. a I

Another object is to provide a pin and elastic core means interconnection for a joint in which there is no metal to metal contact in torsion such that a quiet pulse absorbing operation results which is free from clicks and other metal to metal rattles objected to in rotating machinery. a V

Another object is to provide a lug and core means arrangement for torsionally connecting a two part joint in which the axes of rotation of the parts are tilted with respect to one another, wherein each lug is straddled by a pair of core means which are elastic so as to permit and accommodate the tilted axes of the parts of the joint by reason of the desirable characteristic of radial elasticity in the core means. The radial flexibility sought after is proif present. "trial A further object is to provide an internally lubricated coupling incorporating external elastic material for cushioned torque transmission purposes, wherein the lubricated internalsurfaces in the coupling are isolated from the elastic material and the lubricant is not ordinarily exposed According to a feature of-the present invention, a pair of joined together bearing members, each presenting a "confronting half socket to the other at their adjacent ends, receives a foreshortened spheriform structure therein which-betWeen its ends'is an interrupted composite of two end spherical surfaces which may or may noti have the jsarne center; At times, one spherical surface' transmits push thrust in one direction 'andat other times; the other cation from-a grease gun.

"' Arradditiorial object of the invention is the provision of th efbea'ring members and spheriform structure of the I preceding paragraph'in which the bearing portionsof the "Lspher iform structure are oppositelyinclinedfland conwer e outwardly" of .tli'e axis of the spheriform structure to nor accessible to the elastic material on which it might i have deleterious efiects.

duced by rubber bodies according to the instant disclos ure, which bodies permit end-wise shiftingbetweenltheir inner and outer peripheries and also radial shift of the inner periphery eccentrically in the plane of the outer periphery. I 1

Further features, objects andadvantages, will either be specifically pointed out or become apparent when for a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following printed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Figure l is a side view of marine drive shafting sho an interposed coupling in longitudinal section; 1

Figures 2 and 3 are transverse views of the coupling taken along lines 2-2 and 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view taken along the section lines 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figures 5 and 6 are longitudinal sectional and full face views of a modified form of the coupling; and

. Figure 7 is a detail showing the grease fitting employed in the couplings of Figures 1 through 6;

InFigures 1-4 an internal combustion marine engine 10 isshown arranged to drive a three-bladed marine propeller 12 through the intermediary of a pair of coupled-together pieces of front and rear'line shafting 14, 16 The engine 10 and the front piece of shafting 14 rotate about a common longitudinal axis 18 and the rear piece of shafting 16 and the propeller 12 rotate about their central but slightly tiltable axis 20. The front shafting piece 14 is tubular and is surrounded by a shaft-like tubular thrust bearing box 22 containing a pair of spaced apart rows of thrust bearings in which the shaft 14is journaled and one row of which is shown at 24. The front shaft piece 14 is threaded at 26 to receive a nut 28 which engages an inner race 30 for the thrust bearing 24. An outer race 32 for the bearing 24 is held in place by a seal-containing closure flange 34 which is bolted to the tubular bearing box 22 by two or more screw fasteners 36 and which has a seal 38 at its inner periphery for sealinglubricant in the thrust bearing box 22. H

7 thereof and which has disposed at the other side a set of splines 44 extending therefrom to a reduced end 46 of the shaft-14 which is further reduced and threaded at 48. A washer 50 is received on the reduced portion 46 and is held in place by a retaining nut 52 which is threadably receivedonthe threads 48. The splines 44 receive a set'of internal splines formed in the hub of a bearingfloated and confined spheriform structure 54, which hub is engaged at one end by the thrust bearingrace 3t and at the opposite end by the washer 50 so as to be held 7 r from any axial shift or rotational shift with respect to the shaft .piece 14.

, Thespheriform structure '54 has a plurality of radiating lugs 56, of which six are shown and at least the uppermost one of which, according to the drawing, is drilled or ,cored'out so as to provide a generally radially extending 'lubricating conduit. A small aperture 58-is formed in each of the lugs 56 and has a short pin 60 pression and to causewhatever tilting action which occurs to transpire about the sphere mid point 87 as a center. Conversely, when the propeller 12 is driven in a direction of rotation to cause the marine craft to be propelled forwardly, the surfaces 96,90 at the opposite end of the spheriformstructure54 are loaded in compression and any slight amount of tilting permitted transpires aboutthe spheremid point 89 as a center.

7 In a modification of the invention shown in Figures 5 and 6, a similarly engine-powered propeller-driving series of front and rear shaft pieces 14, 16 is coupled together so as to permit relative tilt between their respective axes 1-8, 20 to an extent greatly exaggerated in Figure 5, wherein the. longitudinal axis 20 of the rear shaft piece 1 6 may approach the lower position 20A or the upper position of tilt 20B. A thrust bearing 24 contained in a shaft-like tubular part 22 hasa race 30 held between a pair of retainer nuts 28, 52 in end-to-end compression against a pressed therein in an interference fit so as rigidly to hold" the latter at a mid portion thereof. Each of the lugs 56 is stfaddledby a pair of elastic core means 62, 64 in the form of open centered annuluses of elastomeric material Such as: elastic plastic, rubber, resins or artificial rubber suchas neoprene and the like; the pairs of elastic core means each contain a set of inner sleeves 66 which are vulcanized or bonded thereto and receive the rigid pin 60 at its opposite ends therein. A retainer such as at 68 .may be provided for holding the sleeves 66 and the pins 60 together at their ends. An outer sleeve such as at 69 a star shaped hub 82 which is pinned at 84 and keyedfast at 86 to the rear shaft piece 16.

. vProvision is made'whereby the bearing members 74, 76 and the hub structure 82 whichas a unit are axially and rotatably fast to the shaft piece 16, may be tilted through a slight angl'e'with the latter as the axis 20 thereof deflects from the midposition shown to a position of lower tilt 20A or to a position of upper tilt as at 20B according to the exaggerated showing of Figure 1. "To

this ,end, the bearing members 74, 76 are socketed to provide a. pair of interrupted composite surfaces respectively at 88 and 90 lying in spheres whose corresponding centers87 and '89 are in the axes'18, '20 at the extreme oppositesides of a transverse plane 92 midway between the adjacent ends of the bearing members 74, 76. The

2 radii of generation of the surfaces 88, 90 from centers 87,

89may be dissimilar, but are shown preferably'to be equal to one another such that the centers 87, '89 are equidistant from the"transverse. mid plane 92. ,spheriform structure 54 which is rotationally coaxial with the en gine 10 and shaft piece 14 so as to have in common therewith the axis '18, has a pair of oppositely inclined bearing portionsj94, 96 which are complementary to the surfaces 88, 90 and which converge outwardly of the axis 18 111 the radial direction of the lugs 56.. Though the composite surfaces 88, 90 to which the bearing portions 94, 96 :are'complemental, vdo not lie in a common sphere,

V a slight tilting motion of interfaced engagement is permitted, for instance, as about the respective centers 87,

89 during tilt of the rear shaft piece 16 from the position '20 of its longitudinal axis toward the exaggerated upper and lower positions 20A, 20B. 1

During appropriate=rotation of the propeller 12 for flexiblecoupling so as to load the surfaces '88, '94 in com- Thespheriform structure 54 forming an inner part of the coupling. p V

The spheriform structure 54 is splined to a set of splines 44 provided on the shaft piece '14 similarly to the splines of like numeral in the embodiment of Figures 1-4. Forming an outer part forthe coupling, a pair of bearing members 74, 76 in Figure 5 is provided which have their adjacent ends forming an interrupted composite surface 88, constructed to liein a common sphere having a center 91 which is at the point of intersection of the axes 18, 20 at its location in a transverse plane at 91 mid way between the adjacent ends of the bearing members 74, 76. The radii of generation of the respective surfaces 88, 90 from the center 91 may be dissimilar, but preferably are equal to one another because of certain conveniences of manufacture inhering in the employment. of the justtermed common sphere type construction. The rear hearing member 76 is keyed at 86 and pinned, though not shown, to the rear shaft piece 16 so as to be rotationally and axially fast thereto. The bearing members 74, 76 each carry a row of loops70 or 72, preferably six in number, which in transverse alignment therewith carry a pair of registering mutually engaging bosses 100 which are coaxially apertured so as to receive a bolt 102 for fastening together the bearing members through each set of coaxial apertures. The inner spheriform structure 54 carries a row of radiating lugs 104 of-a number corresponding to the loops 70 and72 and each lug has a pair of legs, one of which is indicated at 105, which straddle the bosses 100, one at each circumferential side thereof. A lubricating conduit extending generally radially through the leg105 of the illustrative lug 1104 is shown at the top of-Figure 5.; I u,

During rotation of the shaft piece 16 in a direction for either forward or rearward drive of the marine craft, the

' axis of tilt of the shaft piece 16 occurs substantially at .thermid point of the sphere 91 as a center.. Similarly to the preceding embodiment, the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6 is arranged such that the spheriform structure "54 comprises an axially short journal having oppositely inclined bearing portions 94, 96 which are loaded alternatively under reverse drive of the shaft piece 16 and under forward drive of the shaft piece 16in propelling 'a marine craft.

. In both the form of the invention of Figure 1 and the form of Figure 5,.the metallic interfaces 88 and 94 and 90, 96 are desirably lubricated and to this end these interfaces are relativelyirelieved in both forms to provide means for receiving lubricant seals and in addition in the form of Figures 5 and 6, the metallic interfaces are rela-' --tively relieved to provide means for uniformly distributing the lubricant across the metallic interfaces.

Illustrative of the means for receiving the lubricant 7 isealsrarethepair of grooves 106, 108 formed in the sur- Irearward drive propulsion of the marine craft to which it "is fitted, a negative thrust .or tension is irnposed on the face of thespheriform structure toward'its ends and being circularly continuous and arranged about the periphery thereofsuch that each groove of any one pair is disposed in a plane parallel 'to and spaced apart with respect to the other groove of the pair. In the grooves 106, 108 are received deformable O-rings 110 of circular crosssection and formed of suitablelubricant resistant rubber or othe elastomeric material so as not to' deteriorate in service. So situated, the O-rings 110 are disposed such that the planes of the rings are spaced apart and a predetermined confined area is defined for a film of lubricant between the metallic interfaces. In the form of the invention at Figure 1 intermediate the limits defined'by the seals 110, a pair of ports 1-12 is formed in the outer surface of the inner spheriform structure 54 and is supplied with grease from a previously referred to lubri cant conduit or common supply passage indicated at 114 which intersects at about 45 angles with a pair of branch passages 116 providing split paths leading to the ports 112 for distributing grease to the metallic interfaces respectively at. 88, 94 and 90, 96.

Illustrative of the means for distributing lubricant uniformly across the metallic interfaces, a zig-zag groove 118 is shown formed in each end surface of the structure 54 in the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6 which thereby provides a grease distributing passage that zig-zags to and fro in spaced relation at all points between the end limit defining seals 110 and are each circumferentially continuous about the outer surface of the inner spheriform structure 54. A port 112 in the bottom of each passage 118 provides a substantially right angled intersection therewith to a grease passage having a common supply portion 120 and a pair of split path branch portions 122. The outer end of the common supply portion 120 in the embodiment of Figure 5 and the common supply passage 114 in the embodiment of Figure l is counterbored to receive a pressure lubricating or zerk fitting 124 shown in detail in Figure 7. The fitting 124 has an outside nipple 126 adapting the same to receive a grease pressure, gun 128 and internally thereof has a valve receiving interior chamber 130 for receiving a check valve 132 which is spring loaded at 134 to prevent reverse seepage of grease or other lubrication due to centrifugal forces involved in the operation of the two embodiments of the couplings. A central passage 136 formed in the fitting 124 communicatively connects the nipple 126 and the check valve 132 and also connects the check valve 132 with the longitudinal passages formed in the lugs 56, 104 of the forms of the invention of Figures 1 and 5.

In both forms of the invention, the incorporation of the tubular thrust bearing 22 in adjacency to the coupling parts is optional and in the alternative the thrust may be taken up either at the engine 10 or at a more remote thrust bearing location than is presently shown at 24. It is to be noted that the embodiment of Figure 1 is arranged such that the thrust transmitting lubricated surfaces in the coupling have considerably more of a transverse component of area than the surfaces in the embodiment of Figure 5 and hence, a slightly more advantageous bearing capacity is provided in the former. However, the embodiment of Figure 5 is perhaps a little better suited to easy machining and gauging during the manufacturing operation, owing to the'fact that the composite spherical surfaces 88 and 90 and other surfaces conform to a common center 01 and a common radius of generation. It is apparent that the lubricating passage means which are internal to the spheriform structures 54 of Figures 1 and 5 may be machined or cored therein as most expedient.

As herein disclosed, the zigzag grease distributing passages are shown to be present only in the form of Figures 5 and 6 in which the oppositely inclining halfsockets on the bearing portions are spherically concentric and symmetrical. It is evident that the zig-zag grease distributing passages may be used on the form of the invention of Figure 1 and may be of other form than zig-zag so long as they each are circularly communicatively continuous around the periphery of the inner spheriform structure; in a broad sense, moreover, such passages 118 may be relocated and'formed on the inner periphery of the respective beating members 74, 76 and likewise, the circular sealing grooves 106, 108 may be so located irrespective of which part has the passages 118 formed thereon. So also the drawing shows only one lug 56, 104 on the separate embodiments to be provided with generally radially extending lubricant conduits having a grease fitting therein, but self-evidently two or more lugs in the row of lugs may include passage means and grease pressure fittings at their outer ends to permit pressure lubrication of the coupling from any angle of repose of the coupled shafts Without necessitating jacking over of the engine 10 until the particular lug and grease fitting to the coupling is exposed for access thereto by a pressure grease gun. According to both embodiments, the pin carrying lugs 56, 104 are straddled by two core means, one on each side thereof, so as elastically to receive the pin but indeed, it is not essential to the invention that only two core means be used and it may be found desirable in certain installations to use pairs of two or more core means straddling the pins 60 and in a broader sense, a single ring of core'means at only one side of the pin may be found to produce satisfactory results of operation.

For convenience in the description, the front and rear shaft pieces 14, 16 are described as having relative tilt in directions upwardly and downwardly with respect to one another, but lateral tilting is also accommodated to the same advantage by the coupling means of the present disclosure.

Variations within the spirit and scope of the inventiondescribed are equally comprehended by the foregoing description.

What is claimed is:

1. A torsionally elastic universal joint for transmitting tension and thrust from a first shaft arranged end to end with a second shaft comprising a short journal secured to one shaft, a pair of annular bearing member's secured to the other shaft and adapted to engage said journal when said members are urged toward one another, a row of apertured rotating lugs on said journal, a set of apertured elastic core means straddling each lug and each carried in a transverse plane by the bearing members, and a pin for each lug passing therethrough and through all core means apertures at the sides thereof for connecting the joint in thrust.

2. A thrust load universal joint for elastically transmitting torsion comprising a short journal having oppo sitely inclined bearing portions converging outwardly of the axis of the journal, a pair of annular bearing members adapted to engage said portions when said members are urged together as a unit, a ring of apertured rubber annuluses having the plane of each annulus in the common plane of the ring and aifixed to the unit, apertured lugs of a number corresponding to the number of annuluses registering therewith when integral with the short journal, and a corresponding number of pins each passing through an appropriate aperture and dividing the torsional load equally among the pins.

3. A thrust loaded universal joint for elastically transrnitting torsion comprising a spherical member and a pair of annular members engaging with said spherical member to form a joint, two axially spaced apart rings of apertured rubber annuluses having the plane of each annulus in the common plane of the ring in which the same is included, loops carried by the respective members and receiving the individual annuluses therein, lugs in a common plane'corresponding to the number of annuluses in each ring and carried by said spherical memher, the respective annuluses and lugs individually reporting registering sets of apertures and a load transrnitting pin passing through each set of apertures so' as to divide the load from the lugs between the corresponding annuluses of the two rings.

r A. .A ;torsionally elastic universalic'onnection compris; ing a short journal member oppositely inclined bearing1portions converging outwardly of the axis ofithe journal, 1a pairsof annular bearing members :adapt'edrto engage said portions when .said bearing members are urged. towardeachtother, sets of laterally protruding lugs.

ron theimemberswiththe individual lugson one meme berrarrangedrside by side with at least'one lug on the other memher,-.the glugs' of one 'set rhavinga series "of loops formed thereon and the lugs on the other set having formed therein'ran aperture of smaller. diameter coaxial elastic bushings and'the other :of said members than said loops, radiallyxyieldable core means in each loop, and acpin pressed :in each said aperture in rigid engagement :therewith and having an ,end received in the core means so as to provide 'a flexible and torsionally elastic connection: a

ing a short journal member having oppositely inclined 1 bearinglportions. converging outwardlyof the axis of the journal, .a pair of annular bearing members ,-adapted to engage isaid bearing portions when said bearing members are urged- ,toward eachother, laterally protruding lugs on themembersarranged siderby ,sidein groups such that a single lugon one memberisopposed by a pair of load dividing lugs'onthefother member, said pair of lugs being jormed with loops and the individual lugs being formedqwithusmaller diameter apertures, elastic core meansginounted in. each loop, a pin for'eachrgroup of :lugs: having a mid-portion :thereof rigidly pressed .into one of said apertures, and the opposite end portions .of each ,pin being received in load sharing relationship in said core means. t

'6. A torsionally elastic universal joint for transmitting;

' tension and :thrustfrom :a first shaft arranged end to, end

j':- "5. 1A :torsionally felastic universal connection comprishaving torque transmitting means connected. with said bushings 1 x l 9. A1 torsionally elastic jointflcoupling having :a ifirst shaft arranged 'end-torend ,With'a second shaft, a ball member carried by one not said shaft ends, .a bipartite apertured socketmembercarried by "the other shaft end, torque transmitting means secured to said ball member and having an elastic coupling with said socket member, said means extending through the aperture of said socket member. I '10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said elastic coupling comprises cored elastic means. '11. A torsionally elastic flexible coupling comprising ball ,and cup-shaped socket joint parts, said cup-shaped part being of apertured construction, said ball part carrying a portion extending throughsa'id aperture, elastic 'core means carried by one ,of said parts, a pin received 'by said core'means and carried by the other of said parts so as to permit the transmission oftorque elastically between saidjqint parts. I

References Cited in the file of thispaitenu UNITED STATES PATENTS" Fawick Dec. 20, 1955 

